Weighing scale



(Jct- 1941- M. A. WE'CKERLY I Q 2,258,081

WEIGHING SCALE Filed April 5, 1930 3' Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 7, 1941. M. A. WECKERLY 2,258,081

WEIGHING SCALE Filed April 5, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 PM? BYMMM ATTQRNEY Oct. 7, 1941 M. ALWECKERLY ,0

WEIGI-IING SCALE I Filed April '5, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 7 7, 1941 A I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,258,081 V w I WEIGHING SCALE Mark a. Weckerly, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Toledo Scale Company, Toledo, Ohio, a comration of New Jersey Application April 3, 1930, Serial No. 441,385 2 Claims. (01. 249-62) This invention relates to weighing scales and substantially along the line III-J11 of Figure II. in particular to weighing scales which are adapt- Figure IV is an enlarged fragmentary view of ed to control the action of devices to supply or the indicating hand in the zero position and of adjust materials to be weighed on the scales. the magnetic means whereby the hand is held The principal object of this invention is the 5 stationary in this position. provision of means whereby a weighing scale h Flgurev is an enlarged fragmentary view of may control material adjusting devices without the adjustable indicator clutch mechanism in reactive interference with the operation of the the connecting position. weighing mechanism. Figure V1 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Another object of the invention is a light opsaid clutch mechanism in the released or opened erated means, actuated by the weighing scale and podtion. adapted to control material feeding or adjusting Figure VII is an enlarged fragmentary view mechanism. of the dial showing the light entrance slot; and

Another object of this invention is the pro- Figure VIII is a diagram showing the electrical vision of a frictionless means controlled by scales 1 circuits. for controlling electrical circuits which control Referring to the drawings in detail my inmaterial feeding ,or adjusting means, byscales vention is shown incorporated in a scale which is fully described and illustrated in United States of the type described.

Another object is the provision of means for Patent No. 1,543,768 to Hem. For this reason controlling such circuits by means of a light I will not explain it in greater detail than is sensitive cell. necessary to fully describe my invention.

A still further object is the provision of ad- Mounted on abase l is an upwardly extending justable means whereby electrical circuits controlled by -weighing scales may be opened or watch-case-shaped casing 3 in which the counclosed at any point within the weighing capaciterbalancing mechanism 4 is suitably mounted. ties of the scales. v 1 A platform I rests with suitable hearings on the A still further object of this invention is the pivots of the platform levers (not shown) which provision of means for giving an ocular indicaare suitably located and supported in the base tion of the loads deposited on scales by mech- I. These levers are by suitable mechanism opnism controlled by the weighing mechanism, so eratively connected to the load counterbalancing that the operation of the controlling means may 5 l mechanism I.

When a load is placed on the platform 5, the

be checked.

A still further object of the invention is the force exerted is transmitted by the levers and provision of means whereby a scale indicator the intermediate mechanism (not shown) to the may be manually set to a predetermined point on load ooimterbalancing mechanism 4. Pendulums the chart, corresponding to the desired weight l and I swing outwardly and upwardly, their of a load, and to indicate at all times the amount weight moment ofl setting the force exerted by deficient of this desired weight and to co-operate the lead. A compensating bar I operatively conwith other means in stopping the feed stream nects the two pendulums l and l and a dependwhen the desired amount has been deposited on 40 ing rack Q is pivotally secured midway between the load receiver. the connections of the compensating bars to the These and other objects and advantages will pendulum. The teeth oi the rack 8 engage the be apparent from the following description in' teeth of a pinion II which is mounted on a shaft which reference is had to the accompanyin H resting in a r fi bearings 2 statio ed drawings and wherein similar reference numerals in. a bracket ll within the housing 3. The re designate similar parts throughout the several 7 ciprocating motion of the counterbalancing mechanism i is thus translated into rotation.

views.

In the drawings: The indicating hands it and F5 are also secured Figure I is a front elevational view of a weighto the ends of the shaft H, As the movement ing scale of the type described, a portion of its of the counterbalancing mechanism 4 is proporfoundation being broken away. tional to the weight of the load on the platform,

Figure II is a front elevational view, slightly the angle traversed by the indicator is also proenlarged, of the scale casing containing the portional to the load. which may thus be employed to indicate the weights of loads.

counterbalancing mechanism. v

Figure III is an enlarged fragmentary view Secured to the hous ng 3 immediat l behind column 2 which in turn supports a substantially 2 aasaosi the indicating hands H and II, aretwo indicia.

bearing charts i6 and IT. The designating numerals of the graduations on both of these charts, are disposed thereon in clockwise se-- quence. A narrow slot ll is machined in the chart It in proximity to the zero graduation; in such a position that the opening is entirely covered when the index line ll, ruled on the -spade-like portion of the indicating hand i4,

registers with the zero line on the chart. The indicating hand II is rotatably mounted on the shaft II in such a manner that upon the release of a clutch, its position, with reference to an imaginary line running through the zero graduation on the chart and the indicator shaft, may be readily changed. The clutch plate ll, which is faced with leather or other material 2| having a high co-eflicient of friction, is provided with a hub 22 which is pinned or otherwise securely fastened to the shaft II. The indicating hand It is positioned on the portion of the shaft H and is also provided with a clutch plate 25 having a facing 26 and, a fingergrip 21 which extends outwardly and fits snugly on the extending portion of the shaft ll being retained there by the nut 28. A compression coil is interposed between the nut 28 and the finger grip. This compression coil urges the hand towards the clutch plate 20. The clutch plate which is fastened to the indicating hand I thus securely grips the clutch plate It, and the indicating hand partakes the same angular movement as the hand I! which is pinned to the indicating shaft II. The clutch construction described permits the indicating hand ll to be set in any position regardless of the position of the hand It. To insure that the angle, thus formed by the two indicating hands and which represents an increment of weight, can be accurately establishedthe tip of the indicating hand I! has an armature 30 secured to it, for co-operation with an electro-magnet 3|, which is substantially of the horse shoe type. The electro-magnet ll is in series with a push button 32 and an energy source I3. When it is desired to set back the indicating hand H from its position, pressure on the push button 82, when the scale is in an. unloaded condition, will cause the electro-magnet 3| to be energized and the flux set up will hold the indicator I I rigidly, with the index on the zero graduation. The operator now places the index and second finger in back of the knurled portion 35 of the finger grip 21 and pressing with his thumb on the nut 28, disengages the clutch by drawing the hand I 4 forward. The indicating hand may now be rotated through any desired angle and set to the proper graduationwhen the fingers are removed from the grip 21 the clutch grips and holds the indicating hand stationary on the shaft H. The pressure on the push button 32 is then released. This breaks the energizing circuit of the electro-magnet 3| and the indicating shaft H, with the thereto attached parts, is free to revolve.

Immediately behind the slot ll, located in the chart II, and placed so that a beam of light, passing through the slot, must strike its surface, is a light sensitive or-phcto-electric cell 80. A

reflector I! is designed to concentrate all the light passing through the slot II on the sensitive surface and to shade it from the exposure to any other light rays, except those which pass through the slot. An incandescent light bulb a is preferably stationed so that its rays, which pass thrcugha condensing lenssystem theli htsensitive ezn'faceofthecellfl. Itis wellknownthatcellsofthistypehavethechar rent decreases in proportion to the amount of light which strikes on the light sensitive surface.

I have placed a cell I, of this type. in series with an electrical current source I}, which in the embodiment of the present invention is a battery of dry cells, although other sources of em ergy may be utilized. As it is impossible with light sensitive cells to handle an electric current having a sufficient value to operate a motor, a'secondary circuit is controlled by a relay II which is operated by the primary circuit. The relay ll comist's of an electro-magnet which is energized by a current from the source 83 when the primary circuit is completed. This takes place when a beam of light of suiiicient intensity strikes the sensitive surface of the cell II thus lowering its resistance.

Assuming that the scale embodying my invention is employed to control the feed stream in a flour pack ging installation, as illustrated by Figure I, and it is desired to pack 200 lbs. into barrels, the weight of the barrel ll on the platform I of the scale is counterbalanced by a poise (not shown) on the beam 42. The indicator it, which is now pointing directly at the zero character on the chart, is temporarily locked in this position by pressing the push button II, as has been hereinbefore descrlbed'and the indicator ll is-set back to the 200 lb. mark by the operation which also has been previously explained. when the push button switch ll is pressed. the secondary or power circuit is closed. This energizes the solenoid coil 40 of the magnetic switch 41 closing the contacts ll, which remain closed until the circuit is broken. The motor circuit is now completed. The motor brake solenoid 40 is also energized and its armature BI is drawn downwardly, against the urge of the brake locking spring 52. The motor brake is thus released and the motor 83 revolves actuating a screw conveyor (not shown) within the duct 81, with'which it is operatively connected by means of the pinion It, the gear," and the chain Ila. Flour in the hopper II is conveyed by the screw in the duct 81 to the funnel ll,

7 from whence it falls. by gravity, into the barrel ll standingon the platform I.

5 ing the increasing amount in the barrel, on the chart ll, while the indicating hand It is slowly approaching the zero character on the chart I I. When the required amount is reached, the spadeshaped portion ll of the indicator I4 completely covers the slot ll, adjacent to the zero character on the chart ll. Light is thus effectively prevented from striking the sensitive surface of the coil I. The resistance of the cell increasu to such a degree that the circuit is broken, the relay accordingly is de-energized, the contact member N assumes the position shown by the dotted lines in Figure VIII, and opens the cir- This tie-energizes the solenoid N. The armature is urged in the direction of the arrow, breaking the contacts 48 and thus deenergizing the motor '3. The lever II which is fulcrumed at it, is drawn upwardly by the spring l2, tightening the clutch of the brake band II on the motor shaft N, thus instantaneously stopping the motor and the feed stream of flour.

As it is sometimes necessary to stop the feed stream, for example, when a broken or defective barrel has inadvertently been placed on the platform 5, a push button switch 85 has been provided in the circuit for manual operation.

The embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is to be regarded as illustrative only, and it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A weighing scale adapted to control auxiliary mechanisms, said scale comprising, in combination, a load receiver, load counterbalancing and indicating mechanisms, means connecting said lead receiver to said load counterbalancing and indicating mechanisms, controlling mechanism adapted to be actuated by the weight of a load on said load receiver. said indicating and controlling mechanisms each ineluding an indicia bearing chart and an indicator adapted to co-operate therewith. and

means connecting said indicators for simultane-- ous movement, the indicator co-operating with the chart or said controlling mechanism being adapted to be manually set to an indicium on said chart representing the desired weight of a load to be deposited on said load receiver.

2. A weighing scale adapted to control auxiliary mechanisms, said scale comprising, in combination, a load receiver, load counterbalancing and indicating mechanisms, means connecting said load receiver to said load counterbalancing and indicating mechanisms, controlling mechanism including an electrical circuit,-'said indicating and controlling mechanisms each including a chart and an indicator compel-sting therewith, there being a narrow aperture in spacial relation with an indicium on the chart of said controlling mechanism, a light source mounted to emit light through said aperture, 9. light sensitive element mounted to receive such light so emitted through said aperture. an electric circult controlled by said light sensitive element,

means adapted to cover said aperture and thereby cut or! emission of light from said light source therethrough, and means for causing said cover means and said indicators to move simultaneously.

MARK A. WECKERLY. 

